Nagakaa
General Overview The Nagakaa (pronunciation: nɑːgɑːkɑːʔɑː) are the dominant species on the planet Idaliwa. There are several nations of this species with varying physical traits throughout the world, however, they all sport bio-luminescent spots on their faces, reminiscent of freckles, and pointed ears, which also may have bio-luminescent spots on them. They are a sex-fluid species, and their biological sex changes for a period of two months annually after sexual maturation. They primarily live under the surface of Idaliwa, as the atmosphere above is thick with constant heavy cloud cover. Personality Traits Nagakaa are as diverse in personality as humans, though they do share some common base characteristics that may vary in intensity and performance depending on individuals and differing cultures.. * Self-preservation * Very strong sense of community, society, and family * Empathy * Exploration-oriented * Written and spoken language formation These traits cause them to be a generally social species that place a lot of value on community status quo except in areas of science and technology. They tend to be influenced greatly by trends and traditions, which generally last for a very long time. They are almost exclusively monogamous and extremely family-oriented, and many of the differing cultures of nagakaa have a heavy focus on family. Biology Anatomy and Physiology Much of nagakaa physiology is similar to that of humans, though there are marked differences. The nagakaa head is humanoid in shape, but the ears are pointed and range from 2-3 inches in length. The hair on their heads grow rapidly in comparison to humans, at a speed of approximately 1 inch per Idaliwan month. Like humans, they are bipedal organisms and typically range from 5 to 6.5 feet in height. Due to their dark, underground habitats, they have bio-luminescent chromophores across the nose and cheek areas, often extending to the ears. The color of the light emitted from these chromophores varies among nagakaa, most common being red, yellow, green, and blue. Very rarely, a nagakaa may have chromophores that emit purple light. In some cultures, these individuals are highly regarded and are believed to have prophetic abilities. Luminescence is neurally controlled in nagakaa via sympathetic nervous system via adrenal hormones, and they will glow brighter in situations of high emotion. Nagakaa have enhanced hearing due to the size of the ears, which aids them in living in the dark underground cavern systems of Idaliwa. Additionally, they also have enhanced low-light vision. Their eyes contain a tapetum lucidium that reflects light back through the retina, resulting in the same glow seen in cats' eyes in the dark. This, in addition to 2 times the amount of rod cells in their retinas as opposed to humans, allows nagakaa to see well in low light conditions. Nagakaa's brains are slightly larger than humans but are still roughly the same size, and their cerebral cortices are highly developed. Their mental capacities are on par with humans, though the language and speech centers of their brains are slightly larger than humans, allowing them the ability to create more complex language systems than humans. Life Cycle Though nagakaa may appear humanoid in many respects, their genitalia and reproductive systems are very different. Both male and female nagakaa are born with ovotestes, sexual organs which can either produce spermatozoa or ova. In men, the ovarian tissue is dormant and does not produce ova for most of the year. Likewise, in women, the testicular tissue is dormant and does not produce spermatozoa for most of the year. However, the active gonad tissue changes once per year for a two month period, the transition between active states taking approximately a week to complete. During this process, primary and secondary sex characteristics change in the individual due to hormonal changes, but chromosomal makeup does not. Nagakaa reproduction occurs when a male performing individual has sexual intercourse with a female performing individual. Intercourse itself is identical to human intercourse. Upon fertilization and implantation in the female's womb, the fertilized ova will then begin to grow into a child over a period of 5 months. If reproduction occurs when the nagakaa's sex performances are not in line with their genetic makeup, the male will carry the pregnancy to full term, and will not change sexes after the usual two month period is complete. During this time, he produces pheromones that prevent the female from returning to her primary sex until after the child is born. In this case, after birth, the female will return to her primary sex before the male so the child will always have a parent able to breastfeed until it is weaned. The growth rate of nagakaa is much faster than that of humans. They have faster metabolisms and healing factors. Their cells regenerate easier than humans' so they have longer lifespans, though they mature faster. Nagakaa reach sexual maturity at about 9-12 years old, and at that point they look and act much like a human 15 year old. Development and growth usually continues until they are from about 15-18. After nagakaa finish developing, they plateau, and their physical appearance stays about the same for the next 50 years or so. On average, nagakaa live to be around 150-200 years old. Diet Nagakaa are omnivorous, and have the ability to eat a number of plant and animal materials. However, overall diet varies from culture to culture. Even though nagakaa live underground and thus are rarely -- if ever -- exposed to ultraviolet radiation, the varying levels of vitamin D in their diets cause variance in skin color from culture to culture. Nagakaa can go longer without food and water than humans. They are able to go for about 3 - 4 weeks without food and about a week without water. When experiencing malnutrition from lack of food or water, the luminescent chromophores on their faces grow dim, and their hearing suffers as well. Much like humans, their bodies will shut down without proper sustenance.